BWCC/WCC

New Members

The new chamber serving as a catalyst for positive relationship building with regional business leaders and an advocate for business development and growth is pleased to announce its newest members.

  • Absolute Perfection Media Group
  • BDC & Associates
  • Copy Cat
  • Council, Baradel, Kosmerl & Nolan
  • Hawkins Insurance Services
  • Maryland Transit Administration
  • Mr. Handyman of Anne Arundel & NE PG
  • Next Step Real Estate Partners/J. Melvin Premier Properties
  • Offit Kurman, Attorneys at Law
  • Shaffer Ingenuity

Calendar of Events

For more information and to register for events, visit www.westcountychamber.org/events.

  • Feb 9: Membership 101, 9–10:30 a.m.
  • Feb. 21: Small Business Resource Forum: “Maintaining a Healthy Business, Being Prepared When Life Happens,” 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
  • Feb 21: Networking Mixer, 5–7 p.m.
  • March 1: Professional Development: “The Anatomy of Goal Setting from Thought to Reality,” 8:30–10 a.m.

HCCC

In 2017, you likely will be hearing more about the Howard County Chamber of Commerce (HCCC). With the support of the board of directors, working committees and groups have developed strategic plans to make the chamber more visible, more active and of greater service to the business community, as well as the community at large.

As the voice of business, the HCCC provides its members information they need to know that impacts their business. The chamber also provides advocacy in Annapolis and in the county to advance issues of importance to the business community; finally, it provides a range of networking opportunities.

In a community as vibrant as Howard County, almost 700 members are active participants in many chamber social, civic and recreational activities. To learn more, visit www.howardchamber.com.

Mandatory Paid Leave

For the last two years, the HCCC has actively followed and participated in the mandatory leave debate in Annapolis. This piece of legislation is one of the core policies the chamber will follow during the 2017 legislative session.

During the first week, Dels. Luke Clippinger (District 46, Baltimore City) and Derrick Davis (District 25, Prince George’s County), along with Del. Michael Jackson (District 27B, Calvert and Prince George’s counties) introduced HB 0001 and HB 0065, respectively, that if passed would require employers that employ 15 or more employees to provide employees with earned sick and safe leave that is paid at the same wage rate as the employee normally earns.

These bills also would require employers with 14 or fewer employees to provide an employee with unpaid earned sick and safe leave, provide for the manner in which earned sick and safe leave is accrued and authorize an employee to work additional hours or trade shifts with another employee under specified circumstances.

As it currently stands, the HCCC opposes this legislation. Alongside a coalition of business groups and associations, the chamber will be reviewing, among other things, preemption, seasonal employees, part-time employees, number of employees, sanctions, general leave policy, amount of days and law harmony.

State of Howard

On Feb. 16, the HCCC will host the annual State of the County luncheon at Turf Valley Resort. Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman will address the business community and discuss the accomplishments of 2016, as well as priorities for the year to come. To attend the luncheon, visit www.howardchamber.com.

Forum for Women

Also coming up is the Women in Government Contracting Leadership Forum on Wednesday, March 8, at the DoubleTree by Hilton, in Columbia. The one-day conference provides an opportunity for large and small group discussion of best practices. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions of women who excel in leadership and who have played a role in growing businesses and the people they employ.

Keynote speakers are Maria Levin and Kimberly Ellison-Taylor. Levin is CEO of Successful Culture, a business development firm. She helps CEOs master leadership development, strategy formulation and execution, and organizational culture assessment and improvement.

Ellison-Taylor is global accounting strategy director for Oracle. She provides insight to help drive the innovation of this important domain, particularly as the computing paradigm shifts to Cloud and software as a service. Join the top women-owned government contracting firms in Central Maryland for a day of idea sharing, networking and leadership development.

New Members

The HCCC has welcomed new members Dewberry Consultants; Endeavor Electric; EXIT Results Realty; GYMGUYZ Columbia; Handyman Matters of Columbia; Horizon Consulting; The Law Office of Ross W. Albers; The Law Office of Steven J. Lewicky; Liberty Tax Services; Mary Kay Cosmetics/Mary Beth Dulin; Mason & Friends/Debra Nesbitt, Independent Stylist; North Star Wellness; Oxford Planning Group; Regent Healthcare; The Langert Group; The Meeting House; UMBC/Division of Professional Studies; U.S. Lawns; Wagener-Lee; and WOWroi.com.

Travel Op

The HCCC soon will announce its destination for 2017. Stay tuned to find out where we will be traveling this October and save the date so that you can join us.